St. Paul the Apostle begins next half century with facelift

Parishioners at St. Paul the apostle removed all the old pews to make room for new ones. Their involvement saved the parish thousands of dollars and brought the renovations within budget.

Rick Marcantonio for South Texas Catholic

Parishioners at St. Paul the Apostle in the Flour Bluff area of Corpus Christi celebrated the 50th anniversary of the parish on June 29 with a special Mass celebrated by Bishop Michael Mulvey. The Mass was also the unveiling of major renovations to the church, including new pews, sound system, flooring and projectors.

Established by Bishop Thomas Drury on June 29, 1967, St. Paul’s first pastor was Msgr. Robert Freeman. When Msgr. Freeman first arrived in Flour Bluff, there was no church, rectory or property. Services were first held in the old Tropic Isles Club apartments until a church could be built.

Over the course of the next decade, parishioners built a church, parish hall, rectory and classrooms for faith formation.

Under the direction of the parish’s second pastor, Father Mark Chamberlin, part of the church’s land was given to the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic for a convent. Today, the land is home to Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic School.

Rick Marcantonio, volunteer plant operations manager at St. Paul, said the recent renovations were extensive, but would have been nearly impossible without the assistance from parishioners.

“Over 50 volunteers removed all the old pews and carpet from the church in about one hour. The company we purchased the new pews from sent one worker to deliver the pews, as well as show us how to assemble them,” he said.

Marcantonio, who is retired from the U.S. Navy, said the church saved about $3,500 in labor since volunteers removed the pews and carpet, instead of paid workers.

The kneelers have a unique feature, which allows them to remain silent while they are used during Mass, minimizing distractions. The pews are made from European beech wood.

“It was truly a community effort. All our parish organizations assisted, from the Catholic Daughters, Altar and Rose Society, Boy Scouts and the Knights of Columbus,” he said.

After the celebration Mass, parishioners and celebrants gathered in the parish hall for a banquet dinner. Velma Roos, 83, a parishioner at St. Paul since 1985, was excited to see so many renovations.

“Everything looks beautiful and I was impressed at how quickly it was done. I think the pews in particular needed to be replaced, so I was pleased to see all of these renovations, especially just in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our church,” she said.

Father Peter Martinez, pastor at St. Paul during the renovations but who now serves as president of both St. John Paul II High School and Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School, said he was proud how parishioners banded together for a wonderful cause.

“All of our renovations have been completely paid for because in just five months, our parishioners were able to raise $150,000,” Father Martinez said. “We had big donations and small donations. Each one helped us reach our goal.”

During his homily to parishioners, Bishop Mulvey called on the faithful to rely on the power of prayer for any difficult situation, just as St. Paul did.

“Despite any disappointments, St. Paul knew it was all about giving it over to God, saying, ‘I have competed well. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.’ That is a summation of our lives…that we compete well and live our faith in the midst of adversities and difficulties, in the midst of people who challenge our faith,” Bishop Mulvey said. “Paul faced all of that, but he never, ever gave up. He lived well.”

Bishop Mulvey also noted Father Martinez was at the end of his assignment at St. Paul, thanking him for his dedication.

“We thank God today not only for this beautiful building, but also for 50 wonderful years serving our community. Thanks to Father Peter for this project he was able to work on with you all, before leaving for his next adventure,” Bishop Mulvey said. “And I also want to thank him for his six faithful years with you all here at St. Paul. Please give Father Joseph Nguyen a warm welcome and keep him in your prayers.”

Father Nguyen, the new parochial administrator at St. Paul the Apostle, is poised to begin to lead the parish as it begins its next half century of service.

New pews at St. Paul the Apostle are part of an extensive renovation project undertaken by parishioners as part of their celebration of the 50th jubilee of the parish.